People often ask about dating during divorce.  They want to know if they will get in trouble if they begin dating before the divorce is final.  Further, many ask about whether dating before the divorce is over can be held against their ex.

The short answer is “no”, nobody will get in trouble for dating during divorce.  With that said, you should be considerate of your ex and of your children.  You need to understand that, even if you feel like a new relationship is no big deal, your ex and children will likely disagree.  Although dating may not be legally “relevant”, it is highly relevant from an emotional perspective.  Dating during divorce may not change the property division, for example, but it will probably have a direct impact on how long it takes to negotiate and conclude the divorce.

The main rule of dating during divorce is to use good judgment in introducing children to new partners.  Your children – especially young children – have enough to process during this confusing time.  They need to adjust without wondering if they are getting a new mommy or daddy or why a stranger is staying at their house.  In fact, the impact on children is the one caveat to the idea that dating is not legally relevant to the divorce.  For example, if someone uses poor judgment in exposing children to new partners, a court could determine that this was not in the best interest of the child.

When it comes to dating during divorce, put yourself in your ex’s your or children’s shoes. The bottom line is that if you are going to date during divorce, just use good judgment in making new introductions and bringing a new partner around.